Breathing issues with Gabapentin? Is this a potential problem for COPD sufferers?

[Finn2]

Hi,

Thanks so much to everyone for your advice and support.

While I have had RLS since I was a teen, and it’s now very bad, my situation was complicated by the onset and diagnosis of COPD in 2017. The COPD has become more severe over the last two years and I am now on home oxygen therapy for 16 hours per day. My best SpO2 levels read 89 to 91 at rest on room air, so while I can still get around I don’t have much room for further deterioration.

So in relation to the Gabapentin that I have recently started for RLS, on a very low starting dose of 100mg / day, I noticed on reading the side effects warning that it highlights possible danger to people who currently have breathing problems, which of course COPD is totally about. I wonder does anyone have experience of this issue - breathing problems caused or exacerbated by Gabapentin. This is a really serious issue for me considering my condition.

In doing some research online about this I found reference to an FDA warning in Jan 2020 about this very issue.

This is the link - (you may have to copy and paste)

uspharmacist.com/article/fd...

Should I be worried about increasing my Gabapentin dosage in view of this? If anyone has experienced a similar situation I would really appreciate your advice.

[SueJohnson]

I would be worried. Why take a chance?

[SueJohnson]

Or ask your doctor giving him the reference.

[Amrob in reply to SueJohnson]

Or her

[SueJohnson in reply to Amrob]

Right. I try to remember to say him/her or s/he when referring to a doctor but as you can see I don't always remember.

[Eryl]

The reality is that gabapentin is dealing with the symptoms of rls, not the fundamental problem. Your breathing difficulties and rls are due to the inflammation caused by foods in your diet. This inflammation is mostly due to the ingestion of refined carbohydrate like refined sugars and starches which both raisee blood sugar. Inflammation is also caused by the oxidative stress caused by refined seed oils such as vegetable cooking oils and margarine. As well as refined starch (flour) be aware that gluten speeds up the absorbtion of starch and sugar so the glycaemic index of foods consumed with gluten will be increased.You should avoid processed food altogether especially white bread and fruit juice. If this sound difficult just try it for three wreks and I guarantee that you'll notice a difference.

[Bairnie in reply to Eryl]

I eat no gluten as I’m coeliac, I eat very little in the way of carbs and I eat no sugar. There is absolutely NO difference to my (inherited) RLS. You cannot possibly “guarantee” your claim.

[Eryl in reply to Bairnie]

Carbs and guten are not the only cause of inmflammation as I tried to explain. You cpuld also be sensitive to oxalates.

[SueJohnson in reply to Bairnie]

Have you had your ferritin checked?